Idukki (Keralam) | Amid complaints that the Forest Department is registering cases against farmers for cutting trees they have grown on their own land, Keralam Forest Minister Shibu Baby John has ordered the withdrawal of a case registered against a farmer from this hill district for felling four trees on his patta land.
The Forest Department had registered the case against Chirathalayatt Chackochan, a native of Pandippara in Idukki, for cutting two jackfruit trees, a mango tree and a 'pathiri' tree from his land at Thankamani Pandippara.
The case was registered at the Kattappana Section Office under the Kanchiyar Forest Station in the Ayyappankovil Range. The department had assessed the loss at Rs 4,000 and seized timber worth Rs 15,607 and tools worth Rs 2,200.
After the matter came to his notice, John examined the case and sought a report from the officials.
He subsequently directed that the case be withdrawn immediately and ordered the seized timber and tools to be returned to the owner, officials said.
Under the Special Land Assignment Rules of 1993, the Forest Department can take action under the 1986 Tree Protection Act when certain specified tree species are cut from land assigned under the rules.
The 10 species covered under the law are sandalwood, teak, eetti, irul, thempavu, kampakam, chembakam, chadachi, chandana vembu and cheeni.
The minister's intervention comes against the backdrop of complaints that the Forest Department was preventing farmers from cutting trees such as jackfruit, mango, anjili and cashew trees planted and grown by them on their own land, and was registering cases in such instances.
